Feels Like Home
by RainyDayReading
Summary: As much as he pretends to hate them, Draco can't help but love those infuriating Potter children that show up uninvited every year for the winter holidays (much to Astoria's amusement). A fluffy family fic written for various challenges on HPFC. Happy holidays, everyone! :: For Shay


**Feels Like Home**

 _ **for Shay**_

* * *

 _The December One-Shot Exchange - For: The Kawaii Neko - "DracoAstoria, friendship, punk rock song - bad religion, Lily Luna."_

 _The 12 Days of Christmas Drabbles Challenge - Bronze Level - "Draco Malfoy."_

 _The Christmas Character Challenge - Tinsel - "Write about Draco Malfoy."_

 _Pairing Scenario Challenge - Round 2 - "Write about your chosen couple enjoying the holidays."_

 _Holiday Lottery Challenge - 9 - "Write a comedic story."_

 _Once Upon A Time Characters Category Challenge-tition - Competition: Kristoff - "Write a humorous story."_

* * *

Draco stood in the kitchen entranceway, watching fondly as Astoria twirled across the kitchen, humming to the cheerful holiday music that was floating through the house from the spell she had cast about an hour earlier.

She swept over to the stove, wand in hand, and waved it briefly over a boiling pot before skipping over to the cupboards and rummaging through them.

"Draco!" Astoria called, her face hidden by the open door of the wooden cabinet, "I can't reach the pepper!"

"So cast a levitation charm," Draco replied easily, but he crossed the kitchen and reached up onto the high shelf, grabbing the pepper bottle and passing it down to his wife.

She looked up at him, eyes twinkling. "Thanks."

Draco grinned at her and, without warning, scooped her up in his arms. She let out a shriek of laughter as he carried her over to the steaming pot. Holding her by the waist, he allowed her to lean forward to spill some pepper into whatever she was cooking.

Just then, the bright and happy holiday music stopped abruptly, changing to some sort of awful, fast-paced _noise_ filled with thumping beats and shouting lyrics.

"What in bloody hell is _that?"_ Draco cried, thoroughly horrified.

"I'm just listening to some music, Dad!" he heard Scorpius shout back from the parlor. "Hope you don't mind!"

Draco glanced at his wife desperately, but she just smiled and began tapping her foot to the song.

"I rather like it, actually," she said nonchalantly.

Draco let out a groan, running a hand through his blonde hair. _"Scorpius,_ change that music right now or I'll-"

The sound of their front door banging open stopped him short.

"Who's at the door?" Astoria yelled over the loud music.

"Lily!" they heard Scorpius say to their visitor, obviously delighted. "I'm so glad you came!"

 _"Lily?"_ Draco echoed. "The _Potter_ girl? Oh _no."_

He rushed out of the kitchen, practically sprinting to the parlor.

His son's red-headed friend was sitting cross-legged on their couch, leaning back like she owned the place. Scorpius was sitting beside her, already talking animatedly about something or another.

"Lily Luna Potter," Draco drawled. "What in heaven's name are you doing here?"

Lily glanced over at him. "Hello, Mr. Malfoy!" she chirped innocently. "Scorpius invited me and Albus over for a few hours to celebrate the holidays, didn't he tell you?"

"He most certainly _did not,"_ Draco shrieked, terrified. He hated to admit it, but the Potter kids were _intense_ \- _especially_ Lily, with her sarcasm and confidence. They were a force to be reckoned with.

"Speaking of Albus," Scorpius interjected, ignoring his father, who stood frozen in the parlor entrance, "when's he getting here?"

"He'll be here soon," Lily shrugged, but mischief shone in her brown eyes. Draco swallowed hard- when the Potter kids were feeling mischievous, _nothing good ever happened._

A cold gust of wind on the back of his neck made him turn, and he rolled his eyes when he realized Lily had left their front door open.

He left the parlor to close it and stood in the front entrance for a moment- admiring the gray day outside. It had started snowing, and the flakes were spiraling lightly to the ground.

Draco poked his head outside, just to feel the wind against his face, when-

He let out a rather undignified shriek as an enormous bucket of- _something_ \- came pouring down on his head.

Swiping frantically at his eyes, which had been entirely blocked by whatever had just been dropped into his face, Draco realized it was _glitter-_ gallons of _bright gold glitter._

He swore, glaring up. There, hovering in the sky, were Albus and James Potter, each holding a large (and now empty) tub in one hand and their wands in another.

"Happy holidays, Mr. Malfoy!" James greeted him with a wide grin, carefully lowering himself and Albus to the ground. They let their tubs clatter to the stone stoop.

"Thanks for having us," Albus added, and they both pushed past him and into the house, joining Scorpius and Lily in the parlor.

"What happened to _you?"_ Astoria's startled voice came from behind him.

Draco turned to face his wife. He knew how he looked- dripping in glitter which caked his robes, miserably frowning in the direction of the kids in the parlor.

To his chagrin, Astoria started to _laugh._

"They really got you this time, didn't they?" she snorted between chuckles. "You'd think after being pranked every single year by those kids you'd be more careful…"

Still giggling to herself, Astoria waved her wand. Instantly, all the glitter vanished and Draco inhaled deeply, relieved to have it gone.

As Draco shut the front door, he was surprised to hear Astoria speak again, but this time, with her voice wistful and soft.

"I'm glad he's happy," she said quietly. "I'm glad Scorpius has friends."

"Me too," Draco whispered. "They're all great kids."

Astoria glanced at him, raising her eyebrows, and Draco cocked his head, confused. Then he realized what he had just said.

 _"No,"_ he insisted, shaking his head adamantly. "I _didn't_ mean that, it just slipped out! They're _not_ good kids, I hate them. I hate their terrible pranks, their terrible music…"

Astoria smirked at him, obviously amused. "Mhmm," she murmured, unconvinced. "Yes, sounds like you absolutely _loathe_ them."

And with that, she left him standing there, dazed, and returned to the kitchen.

As the four children in the parlor suddenly erupted into joyous, carefree laughter, Draco felt his lips twitch into a smile despite himself.

Because despite the pranks, the absolutely despicable music, and the fact that Scorpius's friends were _Potters,_ he would do anything for those kids, and every year, they always seemed to make the holidays glow just a little bit brighter.


End file.
